Daniel Grayson
Daniel Grayson is Conrad and Victoria's firstborn. He is a wild party boy, who subtlely resists his family's efforts to groom him as the future CEO of the family company, Grayson Global. Despite being Victoria's favorite child, he does not have free rein. Due to several incidents with the law in combination with his rambunctious party boy image, it has left him on thin ice with his father. However, they are able to mend their relationship. Biography He is the son of Conrad and Victoria Grayson and the older brother of his half sister Charlotte Grayson with a $100 million trust fund. He is an all-American boy of privilege. Daniel’s life embodies all that comes with being the firstborn of a wealthy family—high expectations to succeed, partnered with a penchant for getting into any and all trouble his family can buy his way out of. But when his party-boy ways culminated in a messy drunk driving accident the previous summer, Daniel’s free-pass was revoked by his parents and replaced with stricter boundaries and even higher expectations. Now Daniel has returned to the Hamptons after a semester at Harvard Business School, struggling to face the demons of his past and re-imagine the life he wants to live and the man he wants to be. Personality Daniel had been a party boy in the past and had a drinking problem but he had sobred considerably by the time Emily Thorne arrived and only got drunk when Tyler coaxed him to. He was trusting and easily manipulated by both Tyler and Emily. Although in later season 1 and especially in Season 2 he drinks a lot, like Victoria and Conrad. Tyler thought he was stupid and also suspected that Daniel might be scared of him once Daniel learned about his true nature. Although Daniel was a better person than the rest of his family, except Charlotte who was by far the most honourable and trustworthy of the Graysons, he had been raised to think about his family's status and reputation instead of telling the truth. He genuinely cares about people, including Charlotte, Emily, Tyler and his parents though the later are at different times and he turned on Tyler once he found out about his true nature and motives. Many people including Nolan, Aiden and Conrad underestimate his intellect and businessman abilities, despite the obvious that he is easily manipulative, except Emily and Victoria, who both believe he is capable of much more. Victoria says continually that Daniel is easily manipulated and controlled by the women in his life (Emily, Ashley and Victoria). Despite the fact that in early season 1, he was a genuinely caring person unlike his parents, he is notably slowly turning into his parents, by not telling the truth about his father at the interview, by continuously standing by his parents, by helping Conrad get the evidence from Victoria and trying to make her not confess against his father, and by standing by his parents and keeping the secret of killing Helen Crowely, framing Amanda and later Murdering her as well. He clearly despises his parents and their actions as he openly accuses them and yells at them (2x12). However, when it came to himself being in the same situation as Conrad 20 years ago, he does the same thing by framing Aiden, despite initially being hesitant. Daniel can be very obsessive, protective, possessive and jealous especially when it comes to Emily. As of the season 2 finale it is unsure if he killed Aiden, making him a murderer, like his parents. It is clear that when it comes to his parents poor actions he is despises his parents but stands by them probably because he feels he might as well profit off things that happened 20 years ago (Becomes CEO of Grayson Global) as he had nothing to do with it. He failed to acknowledge until late season 2 that everything they have is "blood money" at the expense of David and Amanda Clark, and all the people on Flight 197 and now RealEmily Thorne and Declan Porter. Despite his early intentions and confessions to Emily, he is becoming like his parents. He tried to turn the tables of Grayson Global to increase charities, however he fails to see that he is using the same company that has caused multiple deaths for this cause. He fails to see that you can't use bad things to make good, without telling the truth about Grayson Global and his parents past. However, it is not confirmed if Daniel meant that he took over Grayson Global to increase charities or to reconnect to Emily. When it comes to him being in trouble, he runs away (Paris). Season One Before Emily arrived to the Hamptons, Daniel is described as being a party boy with a serious drinking problem. In the Pilot Episode, when Emily regards Daniel as the "grey suit boy" Ashley tells her that he is "the tragically previlaged spawn" of Victoria Grayson. According to Ashley, Daniel rapt his convertible around a tree while with his girlfriend (who was a waitress) the previous summer. Victoria paid off everyone including his then girlfriend's family to prevent Daniel from going to jail. He began a relationship with Emily Thorne, unaware that she is Amanda Clarke and is seeking revenge on his parents. He tells her that it's nice to meet someone who doesn't know his past self. His roommate, Tyler, got him drunk after he bailed on Emily (Duplicity). He decided not to work for his father so he was cut off. He then helped Charlotte and got a job as a bartender at the Stoweaway (Guilt). He was currently engaged to Emily until the season finale. Season Two In the beginning of season two, Daniel is in a relationship with Ashley. However, their relationship came to an end when Aiden Mathis informs him that Ashley is in a hotel with Salvador Grobet (he wasn't aware that Ashley was blackmailed by his mother). He also shown to become more ruthless in his positsion as the new Grayson Global manager:taking over NolCorp, taking a picture of Ashley and Salvador in bed together to threaten Salvador (and his followers) to vote for him to become the new leader of Grayson Global. However, Daniel later admits that he becomes like that because he still angry at Emily for cheating on him. Throughout the middle of season 2, the Initiative begins to drag Daniel into their plans and lay the groundwork for framing him for their next plot by having him transfer money to smaller, unregulated and unstable economies such as Algiers and Bahrain. Throughout the season, Daniel also begins his relationship with Emily anew. In "Engagement", they have gotten engaged again and plan to move to Paris together after getting married. In the season finale, "Truth, Part 1" and "Truth, Part 2", Daniel is at the office at Grayson Global, having sent away the rest of the staff after the citywide blackout and greeting a supposed IT worker, unaware that he uses the access to plant a bomb inside. Later, watching his father give a speech, Daniel sees Conrad look at the Grayson Global building just after everyone gets a text message from the bombers but before the bomb goes off. Based on that and the fact that Conrad sent him down to the campaign HQ, he begins to suspect that Conrad is somehow in liege with the Initiative. During a chat at the crime scene, he gets Conrad to admit that he is. Relationships Romance Emily Thorne : Main Article: Emily and Daniel Daniel and Emily dated for most of the first season, though they broke up near the end. They briefly dated in season 2, but just as a plan Victoria came up with. Ashley Davenport : Main Article: Ashley and Daniel He began dating Ashley sometime between seasons 1 and 2 after telling him about Jack and Emily's kiss. They broke up after Daniel caught her leeping with Salvador Grobet. Family Victoria Grayson : Main Article: Victoria and Daniel Conrad Grayson : Main Article: Daniel and Conrad Charlotte Grayson : Main Article: Charlotte and Daniel Friends Tyler Barrol : Main Article: Daniel and Tyler Memorable Quotes *How do you plan to convince twelve strangers that you're in love with me when I'm not even sure myself? (to Emily) Daniel_Quotes1.jpg Appearances Season 1 *''Pilot'' *''Trust'' *''Betrayal'' *''Duplicity'' *''Guilt'' *''Intrigue'' *''Charade'' *''Treachery'' *''Suspicion'' *''Loyalty'' *''Duress'' *''Infamy'' *''Commitment'' *''Perception'' *''Chaos'' *''Scandal'' *''Doubt'' *''Justice'' *''Absolution'' *''Legacy'' *''Grief'' *''Reckoning'' Season 2 *''Destiny'' *''Resurrection'' *''Confidence'' *''Intuition'' *''Forgiveness'' *''Illusion'' *''Penance'' *''Lineage'' *''Revelations'' *''Power'' *''Sabotage'' *''Collusion'' *''Union'' *''Sacrifice'' *''Retribution'' *''Illumination'' *''Victory'' *''Masquerade'' *''Identity'' *''Engagement'' *''Truth, Part 1'' *''Truth, Part 2'' Season 3 *''Fear'' *''Sin'' *''Confession'' *''Mercy'' *''Control'' }} Trivia *He is left handed. *Daniel is talented in poetry and had considered becoming a poet, but his father arranged for publishers to refuse him so he could pursue a more secure and lucrative career. ("Lineage") *As of season 2, Daniel remains unaware of Emily's true identity, the only love interest of hers with this distinction. *It was shown during the first season that Daniel had some problems with alcohol, possibly bordering on alcoholism, but throughout the second season he is seen having a glass of scotch once in a while. Gallery Dan.jpg Arms.jpg EDan.jpg Toast.jpg Category:Characters Category:Main Characters Category:Season 2 Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Grayson Family Category:Season 1 Characters Category:Harper Family Category:Season 3